"Growing up I didn’t see many Black gymnasts"- Simone Biles opens up on being inspired by Gabby Douglas' London Olympics appearance

By Adityan Pillai

Modified Nov 17, 2024 01:19 GMT

Simone Biles spoke about being inspired by Gabby Douglas' appearance at the London Olympics. The American gymnast revealed that she had not seen many 'black gymnasts' competing on the global stage while growing up and expressed the importance of representation in inspiring upcoming gymnasts.

Biles has made three consecutive Olympic appearances and emerged as one of the greatest gymnasts to ever grace the sport with 30 World Championship medals and 11 Olympic medals under her belt. Even though she has achieved incredible feats in her career, her journey to the top was not an easy one.

The Olympian experienced numerous struggles, right from being adopted by her grandparents from foster care to battling multiple injuries as she continued competing. Biles spoke about the importance of representation in sports back in 2020 and how having an African American gymnast like Gabby Douglas competing at the top stage inspired her to reach great heights.

“Growing up, I didn’t see very many Black gymnasts. So whenever I did, I felt really inspired to go out there and want to be as good as them. I remember watching Gabby Douglas win the 2012 Olympics, and I was like, If she can do it, I can do it,” she said.

Furthermore, she spoke about dealing with hate comments about her body as she took to the mat to perform. She said,

“They focused on my hair. They focused on how big my legs were. But God made me this way, and I feel like if I didn’t have these legs or these calves, I wouldn’t be able to tumble as high as I can and have all of these moves named after me,”

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Simone Biles on her relationship with Gabby Douglas

Simone Biles during Gymnastics - 2024 Core Hydration Classic - Source: Getty

Simone Biles spoke about her relationship with Gabby Douglas in an interview with Refinery 29. The American squashed the claims of any rivalries between the two and expressed that they were great friends.

"We’re friends, in and out of the gym. Everyone makes it [out] to be some big rivalry, but we’re just friends! We always want the best for each other, and whenever we have a team competition, we’re just excited that we get to share that memory together."

Furthermore, she revealed how they had a great bond and shared their makeup during competitions. They competed together as a part of the highly popular 'Final Five' at the Rio Olympics and won the gold medal in the women's team event.